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Bishops' Conference Joins Police in Fight Against Trafficking

01/06/2011 9:00 am

In this podcast, Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland of Scotland Yard's Trafficking and Prostitution Unit discusses the new partnership between the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the Metropolitan Police.

He highlights how the Catholic community can help the police identify and support trafficked persons who have been sold into domestic servitude, forced labour or sex slavery here in the UK.

“If you see somebody who is in a house who is a foreign national; maybe from South America, from South East Asia, from Eastern Europe and that person has no freedom and you realise that the only time they go out is to put the rubbish out or they are always controlled, then there is normally something wrong. You can contact the authorities through Crimestoppers or through your safer neighbourhood schemes. The police can then do a very low key check to see if that person is ok.”

“If you believe somebody is at risk and suffering violence or if you need help immediately then always call 999. Remember that if you are a victim of trafficking then it is your welfare which will be dealt with first.”